"You need to have everyone stirring the drink," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said Sunday night after everyone on his team contributed to the churn in a ridiculously lopsided 7-2 win over the Kings at SAP Center.

The Sharks took a two games-to-none lead in the best-of-seven series, which now heads to Los Angeles. The stars all, eventually, got on the score sheet in the goal-palooza.

But to be successful in the playoffs, a hockey team needs more than just its big names and pretty faces. It needs the guys on the third and fourth lines - the "bottom six" in hockey parlance - to produce. Players who do the dirty work, who shift the energy of the game.

"The spark came from the fourth line," he said. "We didn't have the start we wanted."

The Sharks fell behind 2-0 in the first period. Kings goalie Jonathan Quick looked impenetrable. The Sharks' home building was unusually quiet. Somebody had to change things, so Desjardins, Brown and Torres did.

"I think the job of any fourth line is to create momentum for your team," said center Desjardins. "And lay your body. And if you can chip in, chip in."

The bottom lines haven't always been a strength for the Sharks in past playoffs. They haven't provided the right kind of depth or impact, putting too much pressure on the Sharks' star players to carry the load. But this year might be different.

On Sunday the Sharks' fourth line orchestrated the comeback, tying the game in the second period and opening the floodgates for what became seven unanswered goals.

The Sharks have now scored 13 goals in two games. But before you start eyeing ticket prices for the Western Conference semifinals, remember two things: The home team won every game between the Sharks and Kings in last year's playoff series, so this series is a long way from being over. And the Kings fell behind the Blues by two games in their first-round series a year ago before winning four straight to advance.

"The scores are irrelevant," McLellan warned.

Brown, who arrived in October in a trade with the Oilers for a fourth-round pick and played only half the Sharks' regular season games, got the scoring started. He scored on an assist from Desjardins just over four minutes into the second period. It was only his third goal of the season.

"Every time we step on ice, our role is to get momentum," said Brown, who led the team with eight hits. "To bring physicality on the ice. But anytime the fourth line contributes with goals it's always a bonus."

The fourth line hit that bonus again, five minutes later when Torres scored on a give-and-go from Desjardins.

"They got us going," Couture said. "They generate a lot of energy in the building, a lot of energy on our bench. You can tell when they're out there. If I was a d-man I'd be scared of those guys bearing down on me."

That toughness is the kind of contribution you expect from a fourth line. It's a unit that is supposed to change the energy, dole out the hits, set the tone. General manager Doug Wilson has said he wants "energy, bite, penalty kill, speed," from his bottom group.

The Sharks' fourth line hasn't worked together much. Desjardins and Brown played during the regular season together, but Torres hasn't been healthy. He had ACL surgery in September, returned Feb. 27 to play in five regular-season games, sat out for several weeks and just reappeared in uniform for Game 1.

But he made an immediate impact in Game 1, raising the energy level and frustrating the Kings. He did it again Sunday. Torres is a tough, bordering on dirty, player who got suspended for six games in last year's playoffs against the Kings, after a hit to Jarret Stoll's head in the first game.

But, as Couture said, he changes the energy in the game and in the building. The crowd at sold-out SAP Center was chanting "Raf-fi, Raf-fi."

By the end of the game, when the frustrated Kings wanted to drop their gloves and mix it up, it was - as you'd expect - the fourth line doing the dropping. Desjardins and Brown both were sent off for 10-minute misconduct penalties.